A SAILOR from Bedworth has joined the crew of the Royal Navy flagship HMS Ark Royal for a series of multi-national exercises in the Atlantic.

Craig McIlwraith, aged 22, joined the Royal Navy in 2007 and is an air engineering technician on board the 22,000-tonne aircraft carrier, specialising in working on radio equipment.

Ark Royal, which is the nation’s strike carrier, is leading an international task group for the deployment called Auriga 2010, which also involves frigates, destroyers, a French submarine and the American destroyer USS Barry, with support from an amphibious force, including Marine commandos and Royal Navy helicopters.

Craig, who went to Ash Green School, said: “It’s really good to be involved with a large deployment like this one.

"This kind of exercise really does bring with it a proper battle rhythm and allows us to get a good view of how we would operate in a real-life situation, as well as how we interact with other navies.”